Neo-orthodoxy forum?

dms1972

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Feb 26, 2013
5,084
1,302
✟593,863.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
Was wondering if it might be good idea to have a Neo-Orthodoxy forum. Neo-orthodox would be the theology associated mainly with Karl Barth, Emil Brunner, Dietrict Bonhoffer and some others. Its a significant strand in 20th century theological thought and somewhat distinct from Liberalism, and Fundamentalism.
 

anna ~ grace

Newbie
Supporter
May 9, 2010
9,071
11,925
✟108,146.93
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Just a thought.... Orthodoxy can mean different things to different people. Maybe describe something like this as "Protestant Neo-Orthodoxy" so as to avoid confusion with Oriental or Eastern Orthodoxy.
 
Upvote 0

~Anastasia~

† Handmaid of God †
Dec 1, 2013
31,133
17,452
Florida panhandle, USA
✟922,745.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
If such a forum is created, I'd like to request the disambiguation be part of the forum name itself, not just a sticky. No offense, but sometimes we struggle enough against misunderstanding of what we (Orthodox) believe.
 
Upvote 0

Dave-W

Welcoming grandchild #7, Arturus Waggoner!
Supporter
Jun 18, 2014
30,521
16,866
Maryland - just north of D.C.
Visit site
✟771,800.00
Country
United States
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
If such a forum is created, I'd like to request the disambiguation be part of the forum name itself, not just a sticky. No offense, but sometimes we struggle enough against misunderstanding of what we (Orthodox) believe.
That sounds like a very good idea. Even reading the title and OP of this thread (up to the name Karl Barth) I thought it was about a movement within either Eastern or Oriental Orthodoxy.
 
Upvote 0

PloverWing

Episcopalian
May 5, 2012
4,338
5,024
New Jersey
✟332,494.00
Country
United States
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Married
Hmm. I haven't heard the term "Reformed Orthodoxy"; maybe it's used less in the U.S. Some of the theologians in the movement are Lutheran, rather than Reformed, so "Reformed Orthodoxy" would be misleading for me. Which I guess reinforces Gracia Singh's and Anastasia's points. :)

Maybe put the name of one or more of the theologians in the name? "Barthian theology", or something like that?
 
  • Agree
Reactions: dms1972
Upvote 0

Paidiske

Clara bonam audax
Supporter
Apr 25, 2016
34,110
19,004
43
Albury, Australia
Visit site
✟1,473,110.00
Country
Australia
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Married
It's not just Barth, though. And if you're going to cast the net wide enough to include, say, Moltmann and Volf, then you're looking at some diversity of views and not just a Barthian take on things.

Maybe something like, 20th Century Canonical Protestants? I don't know, that's a mouthful. I don't have the right word!
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

PloverWing

Episcopalian
May 5, 2012
4,338
5,024
New Jersey
✟332,494.00
Country
United States
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Married
I'll add that these theologians have significantly enriched my understanding, as well.

Toward the end of my college years, I found I could not longer affirm the conservative Evangelicalism I was raised in (inerrancy, young earth creationism, etc.). I was on the verge of giving up and becoming an atheist. The Neo-Orthodox theologians showed me a way forward, a way to still be Christian. I owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Paidiske
Upvote 0

FireDragon76

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Apr 30, 2013
30,473
18,454
Orlando, Florida
✟1,249,087.00
Country
United States
Faith
United Ch. of Christ
Marital Status
Legal Union (Other)
Politics
US-Democrat
Neo-orthodoxy, when capitalized and used in the appropriate context, is a well understood term in western Christianity among academics, as a particular theological movement beginning in the early part of the mid-twentieth century.

The eastern churches do not have a monopoly on the term "orthodoxy".

I actually think a separate forum is not necessary and that most of the discussion of Neo-orthodoxy would fit within Whosoever Will, May Come. Perhaps some official clarification needs to be made regarding this. Most progressive Christians on the forum are significantly influenced by Neo-Orthodoxy, and not classical liberalism.
 
Upvote 0

~Anastasia~

† Handmaid of God †
Dec 1, 2013
31,133
17,452
Florida panhandle, USA
✟922,745.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
That sounds like a very good idea. Even reading the title and OP of this thread (up to the name Karl Barth) I thought it was about a movement within either Eastern or Oriental Orthodoxy.

Yes, I too thought it was about some "movement" within Orthodoxy (there is no movement but there are always a couple of vocal folks on the fringes trying to change everything, as I suspect is true with any major faith group).

And not be be agreeable/disagreeable, just chiming in - I'm not familiar with the terms Reformed orthodoxy or neo-orthodoxy, and I read a fair amount. So I suspect they would create some confusion among Christians in general.

However, if one of those is the name officially chosen by the group/movement/field (sorry, I don't know what it would be) ... it is true that terms like Orthodox and Catholic are not "owned" by the particular Churches. They were necessary descriptors. The Orthodox refer to ourselves as being catholic and the Church of Christ and apostolic without meaning any of these denominations. But as a title they would be misleading. However, if that's the way it already is ...

Maybe as being suggested the location would be helpful to differentiate it. I would appreciate a sticky in that case, but we know most folks don't read those. Maybe a forum sub-title at least? Pretty please?
 
Upvote 0

dms1972

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Feb 26, 2013
5,084
1,302
✟593,863.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
Reformed orthodoxy? That's a term often associated with that school, I think?

I'd also be interested. Many of these theologians have significantly enriched my own understanding.


I think the term Reformation Orthodoxy might be open to misunderstaning as it might be confused with reformed scholastism in the period immediately following the Reformation. The movement associated with Barth et al. is generally known as Neo-Orthodoxy, its also sometimes refered to as Dialectic Theology, or the Theology of Crisis (so those might be better names, to differentiate it) But its a 20th century theology and there is differing opinions on it from theologians in the Reformed camp, both positive and negative.

Neo-orthodoxy - Wikipedia
 
Last edited:
  • Informative
Reactions: anna ~ grace
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

~Anastasia~

† Handmaid of God †
Dec 1, 2013
31,133
17,452
Florida panhandle, USA
✟922,745.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
Yes, the same objections to including "Reformed" would be fair to those folks as well.

It should be a cosmic rule that if anyone is going to begin a new school of thought in religion, it ought to have to have a unique name. ;) (only semi-joking here - I know there are no rules but I think it WOULD be for the best for everyone concerned!)

If Dialectic Theology / Theology of Crisis (maybe with a subtitle including Barth, Bonhoeffer, etc. as explanation) were acceptable and informative enough, I think that would be ideal.
 
Upvote 0

dms1972

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Feb 26, 2013
5,084
1,302
✟593,863.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
However, if one of those is the name officially chosen by the group/movement/field (sorry, I don't know what it would be) ... it is true that terms like Orthodox and Catholic are not "owned" by the particular Churches. They were necessary descriptors. The Orthodox refer to ourselves as being catholic and the Church of Christ and apostolic without meaning any of these denominations. But as a title they would be misleading. However, if that's the way it already is .

For myself I had quite often read the term neo-orthodox used in connection to Barth, but its not a term that these theologians chose for themselves, they didn't get together and say lets start a new movement and call it Neo-orthodoxy, it was called that by others, so that is why the term is somewhat confusing.

As the forums are not used only by academics I agree that a forum of that title will be puzzling to some christians. I had not given enough thought to that when i asked. The theologians that often are grouped under the umbrella Neo-orthodoxy are a fairly diverse bunch, often in aspects of their theology in sharp disagreement with each other for instance Barth vs Brunner over Natural theology.

If there is a new forum I lean towards calling it Dialectic Theology myself.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ~Anastasia~
Upvote 0

dms1972

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Feb 26, 2013
5,084
1,302
✟593,863.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
Just revisiting this, would Dialectic theology fit in general theology forum?

Dialectic theology described here:

What is dialectical theology?

I am not looking for a faith group forum, but a place to discuss this sort of theology and views for and against.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

dms1972

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Feb 26, 2013
5,084
1,302
✟593,863.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
Yes, wasn't the best link, though Barth is perhaps the name most associated with this sort of theology, but it goes wider - ie Brunner, Gogarten, Bultmann, Neibur, Bonnehoffer.

Heres another link: Dialectical Theology

I'll take a look a the Bridge Builders forums, that may be the best place for such discussion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaSorcia
Upvote 0